Outlet box



y 1934, c. E. OLSEN ET AL 1,957,844

OUTLET BOX Filed Dec. 26, 193].

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(f r9 za/ r9 26 2, 2/ M f g z 26 Mi; 2; w m WIQZZ x $6174 015070 t 6 67% e55. (55192191 1 071?) Patented May 8, 1934 pairs!) STATES PATENT GFFHCE OUTLET BOX Carl Edward Olsen and Ernest Hjalmar Lind- 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an outlet box for electrical conduits, and particularly to improved attachingmeans for securing the box in a wall open- An important object of the invention is to provide an attaching means for the box which is particularly useful in connection with repair jobs, and the like, where it is frequently necessary to install a box in walls made of material which does not readily permit of anchoring the box in the usual manner by the use of wood screws.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attaching means for the purpose specified which may be cheaply made, and which may be easily manipulated by the workmen to effect anchoring of the box in the wall.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of an outlet box provided with the novel attaching means;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the box taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the box, the view being taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, and showing the clamping jaws in folded position; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the box in anchored position in the wall opening.

Referring to the drawing,.the outlet box is of the usual form, having end walls 5 and 6, a bottom wall 7, and removable side walls 8 and 9. The walls of the box are made of heavy sheet metal, the end and bottom walls being formed from a single piece of metal, and the side walls being reinovably secured to the end walls by means of screws 11 carried by ears 12 projecting laterally from the end walls, the opposite ends of the side walls being provided with inwardly bent tongue portions 13 which have interfitting relation with slots in the end walls. By making the side walls removable in this manner it is possible to gang several boxes together in well-known manner to form a composite box of any desired width. The end walls 5 and 6 are provided with the usual flanges 14 and 15, respectively, which are adjustably secured to the end walls by screws 16 which extend through U-slots formed in the arms of the flanges. The end walls of the box are also provided, in accordance with the usual construction, with projections 17 having threaded apertures 18 formed therein for receiving the screws which hold the receptacle in place.

In new construction work, it is the usual practice to secure the box in position either by screwingfianges 14 and 15 to a wood backing, or by inserting the flanges into metal switch sticks which are especially formed to engage the opposite sides of the flange. In repair work, however, it is frequently difiicult to find suitable anchoring means in the wall for attaching the box by means of flanges 14 and 15. If the wall is made of wooden lath it is frequently difiicult to cut the opening in the wall in such position as to locate the end flanges in position to' firmly engage the lath, and if the wall is made of '7 plaster-board, tile, or similar material, it is not possible to anchor the box by means of wood screws.

In accordance with our invention, an improved form of clamping jaw is applied to a wall of the box, which cooperates with the end flanges to' firmly clamp the box in position in the wall opening. The attaching means, which is preferably applied to each of the side walls 8 and 9, comprises a clamping jaw 19, having pivotal and, sliding connection with the side wall of the box; a clamp screw 21, which is threaded through jaw 19 adjacent the edge thereof which connects with the side of the box; and a bearing piece 22, secured to the side of the box near the front edge thereof, for engaging the head of clamp screw 21.

The pivotal and sliding connection between jaw 19 and the side of the box is formed by providing said jaw with spaced tongue pieces 23 which are received in slots 24 formed in the side of the box. The tongue pieces 23 are bent at right angles to the web portion of the jaw and are provided at their free ends with lateral projections 25 which lap the sides of slots 24, thereby providing a hinged connection between the jaw and the side of the box. The jaw is thus arranged so that it may be pivoted through an angle of approximately ninety degrees from laterally projecting position into folded position against the side wall. Also, by reason of they provision of slots 24, which extend from about the center of the side wall to a point near the front edge thereof, the jaw may be pulled outwardly into clamping position against the rear face of a wall support 26. For example, assuming the jaw to be in the position shown in Fig. 2, it will be apparent that by threading screw 21 through the jaw, the latter will be pulled along the shank of the screw to bring it into clamping position against the rear face of support 26. As,--

' than the box itself. V

While it is preferred to apply theattaching means to the side walls of the box, as shown,

the clamp screw is threaded into the jaw to pull the latter outwardly into clamping position, bearing piece 22 engages the head of the screw, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, to provide a bearing for holding the clamp screw against axial movement.

' wall outwardly to form a shoulder for engaging the head of the clamp screw.

An important feature of the invention consists in providing in the wall of the box, adjacent the clamp screw 21, an opening 28 which extends from a point near the center of the wall outwardly to the front edge thereof. The purpose of providing this opening in the wall is to permit the jaw 19 to be folded against the side of the box without necessitating removal of the screw from the jaw. This is an extremely important factor from the standpoint of ease of manipulation. After the opening has been cut in the wall, the box is prepared for insertion by screwing bolts 21 outwardly until their tips are approximately flush with the rear surfaces of jaws 19, and the latter are then folded inwardly against the sides of the box, as shown in Fig. 3. After the box has been inserted in the wall opening, the heads of screws 21 are swung outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 to bring the jaws into position for movement into clamping position against the rear face of wall support 26. It is, therefore, unnecessary to remove screws 21 from jaws 19 in order to first get the box into position in the opening. The jaws are simply folded'to the position shown in Fig. 3 to permit the insertion of the box, and are then turned outwardly and drawn against the inner face of the wall support to secure the box in position. In addition to providing for extreme ease of manipulation, the construction also is designed to eliminate the need of cutting a very large opening in the wall to receive the clamping means. For example, it will be apparent from Fig. 3 that when the clamping jaws are folded against the sides of the box they will pass through an openingwhich is but it will be understood that if desired the clamping device may be applied to the end walls of the box. When several boxes are ganged together to form one large box, the provision of the clamping means on the side wall of the box, instead of on the end wall, is convenient since in such cases it is only necessary to use one box provided with the attaching means, the

others being of the ordinary construction. Also,

in the majority of cases, the electrical conduit I is brought into the box through the end walls thereof and by positioning the clamping means slightly larger on the side walls of the box, there is no interference between the conduit and the clamping means.

It is believed that the manner of use of the invention will be apparent from Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The clamping jaws are first arranged in the position shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the box is inserted through the opening in wall support 26 to assume the position shown by the dotted lines in said figure. Screws 21 are then swung outwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, and the jaws are then screwed outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4, thereby clamping the edges of wall support 26 firmly between said jaws and end flanges 14 and 15 which bear against the outer face of said support.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

What we regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with an outlet box havinga flange for bearing on the front of a wall support, of a clamping jaw having pivotal and sliding connection with a wall of the box, a clamp screw threaded through said jaw adjacent the edge thereof which connects with the wall of the box, and a bearing piece secured to the wallof the box near the front edge thereof for engaging the head of said screw while the latter is being turned to move the jaw outwardly into c1amp- .ing, each of said devices including a clamping jaw-having pivotal and sliding connection with the side of the box, a clamp screw threaded through said jaw adjacent the edge thereof which connects with the. side ,of the box, and a bearing pieces'ecured to the. side of the box near the front edge thereof for engaging the head of said screw while the latter is being turned to move the jaw outwardly into clamping engagement with the wall, the side of the box adjacent the screw being cut away to provide an opening through which the shank of said screw may pass to permit folding of the jaw against the side of the box without necessitating removal of the screw from the jaw.

CARL EDWARD OLSEN. ERNEST HJALMAR LINDSTROM. 

